P As In Pedal

Greg Lemond said, “It doesn’t get easier, you just go faster.”

Read this quote couple of days back. And to be honest, was not much of a help. Inspiring it is but for someone who has been contemplating taking up cycling again, after an easy gap of decade, it doesnt help much.

And after so called contemplation and deliberation, today I gave in. I had my first round of pedaling in ten years. I like to think eight but I know it has to be ten. And believe me when I say it was not easy at all. Not easy. Not at all. And I have no idea about being faster. What I know is, that I cannot feel my bums right now. I had them when I left home. But now it seems like they got lost somewhere on the track. I guess, I will find them in a while.

And I hope Mr Lemond was right when he said the above quote. Let’s see.

Day 1 – 2 Feb 2012 – Lake and Back (approx 20 kms) – 105 Minutes
Day 2 – 3 Feb 2012 – Lake & Back In One Piece – 110 Minutes
Day 3 – 4 Feb 2012 – Just Before Lake & Back – Me In One Piece, Bicycle In Two – 110 Minutes

Just before the last round-about to Lake, left pedal came out. There was some cranking noise coming and pedal was acting a bit funny. But I didn’t know it will get this interesting. At first I got a bit annoyed. When I couldn’t fix the pedal by hand, it got me furious. Not at cycle or pedal or anyone. Just because I couldn’t finish my round. But then I decided to start walking back. Reached Sector 17 petrol pump and asked the driver of a truck standing there for wrench. Though he was in a hurry to begin his day, am glad that he still assisted anyway. So I got to put the pedal back on. Still cranky all the way. Kept wishing for pedal to stay at its place, and kept rolling my way back home. Am glad it stayed on.

Day 4 – 6 Feb 2012 – Same Route – On the beat of Kaskade’s BBC Radio One Essential Mix – 100 Minutes ….. and Fog was a nice add-on

Day 5 – 7 Feb 2012 – Checklist : Moonlit Sky : Check….Coffee at Aroma : Check….Drive to Nada Sahib : Check…..Air Pressure in Tyre : Check….Sick Bangin Track on Earphones : Check…..Pedal Up….Same Route…89 Minutes….CHECK…..Out at 4:32…In at 6:01…..YES…..Mornings rarely get this good…..

Day 6 – 8 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 101 Minutes
Day 7 – 11 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 99 Minutes
Day 8 – 14 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 89 Minutes
Day 9 – 16 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 91 Minutes

Day 10 – 17 Feb 2012 – Pedal started acting up again. So, cut short the route. 61 Minutes. However, the final track length identified at 22.6 kms.

Day 11 – 19 Feb 2012 – Out 5;25, In 6:45 – Same Route – 80 Minutes. Assisted by and against some wind. To the tune of Essential Mix by An21 & Max Vangeli

Day 12 – 20 Feb 2012 – “It can’t be!”, was my reaction when stop-watch read 78:33 Minutes. Same Route. Same Tune.

Day 13 – 21 Feb 2012 – “No way!” – Same Route – Same Tune – 75 Minutes (And Dammy says, “Too Bad. 50 karo”)

Day 14 – 22 Feb 2012 – “Damn!” – Out 5:17 – Same Route – In 6:29 – 72:40 Minutes

Day 15 – 23 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 71:25 Minutes
Day 16 – 26 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 75 Minutes
Day 17 – 27 Feb 2012 – Same Route – 73:25 Minutes

Day 18 – 28 Feb 2012 – Today I learned that every thrust to pedal counts. Every curve, every turn, every break counts. Just shy of sixties. Same Route – 70:08 Minutes.
RESPECT to all those athletes who train day-in-day-out for that one-tenth of a second.

Day 19 – 01 Mar 2012 – In lazy mode – Same Route – 85 Minutes
Day 20 – 03 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 78 Minutes
Day 21 – 05 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 73 Minutes

Day 22 – 06 Mar 2012 – And after the first repairs done on the cycle, it timed 64:22 Minutes on Same Route. I knew there was something wrong with the left crank. And yes, it was on the heavier gear as well.

Day 23 – 08 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 68:02 Minutes
Day 24 – 09 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 70:03 Minutes
Day 25 – 11 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 65:09 Minutes
Day 26 – 14 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 67:22 Minutes
Day 27 – 15 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 69:17 Minutes

Day 28 – 16 Mar 2012 – Same Route – 68:49 Minutes. These pre-spring winds in the morning are adding a fun factor to cycling. And I am kinda looking forward to summer winds.

Day 29 – 17 Mar 2012 – Same Route – No Music as headphones were not charged – 67:49 Minutes

Day 30 – 19 Mar 2012 – Same Route – Headphones back up – 65:13Minutes

Day 31 – 20 Mar 2012 – Same Route was more fun than ever. Dry winds blowing and along coming roadside dirt right in your face. And once I crossed Sukhna the winds gave some assistance allowing me to shift to the “Top Gear”. Result not exactly what I would have liked. But I am mildly satisfied – 68:08 Minutes

Day 32 – 21 Mar 2012 – Same Route on Top Gear aka The Heaviest One – 68:27 Minutes

Day 33 – 22 Mar 2012 – Same Route – Late winter chilly winds (it snowed somewhere around) – 69:44 Minutes

Day 34 – 24 Mar 2012 – So after some running on the same route for last 33 days, I decided to test a new route. And today being a weekend wanted to test myself as well. Hence, picked up Route 2 – Home > Nada Sahib > Home, approx Round Trip 42 kms. Had a tight sleep a night before. Did not eat much. Woke up at 3:30. Did the routines. Loaded new tracks, David Guetta Disc. Some 100 odd tracks. Started out at 4:50. Nice weather. And little bit of breeze blowing was on my side. And with few patches of road on this new route re-laid just a day back the smoothness of roads of City Beautiful made me fall in love with them again. It was all easy till the time that Bridge & Hill came. Small one though, it took on effort. Downhill was super fun. And when I parked and checked the clock, time read 5:51. That is a pretty good timing. Took a short break. Had some water. And 8 minutes later, at 5:59 started back. Again the Hill & Bridge took an effort. It was going well and suddenly there is traffic coming from all sides. Had to be extra cautious on few turns and lights. And last stretch the wind went against me. Not much but still enough to make it little uncomfortable. And when I took the last turn towards home, somehow I knew I had hit the home-run. And when I checked the clock at home, it read 6:58. AWESOME. JUST AWESOME. Total run-time of 2 hours and 8 minutes, with 8 minute break. What a morning!

Day 35 – 27 Mar 2012 – Route Lake picked again. I guess thinner summer air does have some effect on the speed. 61:22 Minutes

Day 36 – 28 Mar 2012 – Route Lake – 65:44 Minutes

Day 37 – 1 Apr 2012 – After a brief lull due to haphazard work hours and long shifts and some laziness, some from me some from others, back to basics. Route Lake – 62:21 Minutes

Day 38 – 3 Apr 2012 – As soon as I took the first turn, I knew the weather, wind, road, cycle & pedal is on my side. Route Late – 59:13 Minutes.

Day 39 – 10 Apr 2012 – A week’s gap…a punctured tyre….an exhilarating friday night…a leisurely lazy weekend…a scrumptious dinner on sunday….a monday that had no blues….and fighting some passivity….back to pedaling……Route Lake – 63 Minutes

Day 40 – 11 Apr 2012 – Assisted by the wind….resisted by the wind…loved what clock said….Route Lake – 59:32 Minutes

Day 41 – 12 Apr 2012 – After a crazy storm….broken trees….power outage….and “City Beautiful” totally outside of its element….on to pedaling…Route Lake – 61 Minutes

Day 42 – 14 Apr 2012 – Easy going. Route Lake – 63:27 Minutes

Day 43 – 6 May 2012 – After 3 weeks back to pedaling….multiple punctures causing deflated tyre every now and then….overcoming inherent laziness….finally got the tube changed yesterday and am back to the road….all the way just wanted to know how many minutes I have lost in this gap…..and answer was something unexpected…. Route Lake – 63:12 Minutes

Day 44 – 7 May 2012 – Woke up 15 minutes before the alarm….feeling charged up….picked up Route Nada Sahib…reached in 62:27 Minutes….way back was the toughest time in a while…last 7-8 kilometers were the heaviest that I had pedaled…only thought running through my mind was to reach home pedaling….68:29….total run-time….2 hours 10 minutes 56 seconds….

Day 45 – 9 May 2012 – Moonlit sky and smooth roads of The City Beautiful….a combination like no other…Route Lake – 62:43 Minutes

Day 46 – 10 May 2012 – Just was feeling good…and it translated to my fastest lap so far….Route Lake – 57:59 Minutes

Day 47 – 14 May 2012 – After a rocking saturday….and relaxed sunday….back on road…Route Lake – 62:25 Minutes

Na Raindee Hai

Heard this masterpiece by Bulleh Shah, spoken by Arieb Azhar

Munh aayi baat na rehndi e

Jhoott aakhaan kuch bachda e

Sach aakhaan baambar machda e

Donhaan galaan toun ji jachda e

Jach jach ke jibhaan kehndi e

Munh aayi baat na rehndi e

Jiss paya bheit qalandar da

Rah khojya apne andar da

O waasi hai sukh mandar da

Jithe charhdi e na lendi e

Munh aayi baat na rehndi e

Ik laazim baat adab di e

Saanu baat maloomi sab di e

Har har vich soorat rabb di e

Kite zaahir kite chhup behndi e

Munh aayi baat na rehndi e

E tilkan baazi vehrha e

Thamm thamm ke ttur anhera e

Varh andar wekho kehrha e

Kyun khalkat baahar ddhunddindi e

Munh aayi baat na rehndi e

Bhullah shou asaan toun vakh nahi

Bin shou te dujja kakh nahi

Parr vekhan vaali akh nahi

Taain jaan judaayaan sehndi e

Munh aayi baat na rehndi e

Parh parh ilm kitaabaan da tu naam rakh leya qaazi

Hath vich pharh ke talvaaraan tu naam rakh leya ghaazi

Makke Madine ghum aya tu naam rakh leya haaji

Bhullah tu ki haasil kita je yaar na rakhya raazi!

(I have heard this earlier, but I think I missed out on last stanza. Heard it today, and am completely blown by the power of words in that. Amazing. Beautiful)

Hear it: Na Raindee Hai, Arieb Azhar, Coke Studio, Season 3

Translation

I must speak my mind

I speak untrue and something remains

I speak the truth and the fire is lit

I am afraid of both outcomes

Apprehensively my tongue quivers

I must speak my mind

Who puts on the garb of the dervish

Burrows the way into his self

Will inherit the temple of peace

Where there is no rise or fall

I must speak my mind

A point to be noted if I may

I know the secret of all

In each is the face of the lord

Flowing apparent somewhere hidden

I must speak my mind

The world is a slippery place

Tread carefully for ’tis dark

Go inside see who’s there

Why do the people search outside

I must speak my mind

Bhullah, the beloved is not separate from us

Besides the beloved there is naught else

But the discerning eye is missing

Therefore life endures separation

I must speak my mind

Learning through the rote of books you call yourself a scholar

Grasping the sword in your hand you call yourself a warrior

Having visited Mecca and Medina you call yourself a pilgrim

Bhullah, what have you accomplished if you have not remained true to your friend!